Page 14 of Dragonfly

I stabbed Damien Libellula. Not in the heart, either, or the chest where I might’ve actual accomplished what I set out to do. Oh, no. In my rage-fueled impulsiveness, I got him in the side, and apart from hissing out a curse, he doesn’t fucking react at all.

I sure the hell do.

I thought I could do this. To get my revenge… I thought I could kill him. Maybe if I had my gun, I could’ve, but the way the knife squelched as I stabbed him… I think I’m going to hurl. I’m probably going to die. I always knew that, if I fucked up my one chance to get to him, I had to do the job right.

But I didn’t. Damien is bowed over, staring at the knife in his side, but he didn’t drop. He didn’t even scream. He’s just sighing now, and I take that at my cue to get the fuck out of here.

I’m in over my head. I know it, and there’s nothing I can do but hope like hell I can get to my car, get my cat, and get the hell out of Springfield while I can.

It’s a plan. A good plan. My revenge can wait, but only if I can get out of this mess?—

I slam into as hard as a brick wall with only the tiniest bit of give to it. I’d barely even torn out of the alley, running blindly toward where I left my car, but my forehead hits something first, then my nose, and as I try to stumble back and away from whatever it was, a rough hand closes around my upper arm.

My eyes are watering, but even through the tears, I can see a brawny chest in front of me. Tilting my head back, I see a pair of piercing blue eyes, a buzz cut, and a murderous expression and immediately recognize the wall I ran into.

Damien’s bodyguard.

Damn it. Damn it. I thought we were alone. I thought no one was watching. I’d completely forgotten the big guy had been dropped off at the laundromat, that he was near. Was it a coincidence that I ran into him—and was he posted out there just in case I tried to run?

When he squeezes my arm before dragging me back into the alley, shifting me so that I have no choice but to look at Damien, I’m pretty sure I have my answer.

“Got her, boss.”

“Good job, Vin. Oh, Savannah… there are much better ways to get my attention, my dear.”

My head shoots over to him. Even through the tears, the smirk on his face has me wishing I’d been brave enough to yank that knife out and plunge it into his heart.

Only I didn’t—and the knife is still sticking out of his side.

He flicks his fingers at the giant behind me.

Next thing I know, I’m hoisted up. Vin has one big arm around my throat, the other around my waist. He lifts me a good foot off the ground, leaving my legs dangling as he tightens his hold on my throat.

Damien sucks in a breath, shifting his weight so that he can lean with his good hip against his car as he studies me.

He could shoot me in the middle of the East End with my own gun and nobody would even look twice. This man has the cops in his pocket, and my weapon within reach.

Vin squeezes. “I got her.”

“You’re also choking her.”

“You want I should just snap her neck?”

I close my eyes.

This is it. I failed.

I knew I needed to take my time. To learn everything I could about him, maybe find a way to infiltrate his life, get close to him somehow… but no. I let the memories make me mindless, and now I’m going to pay the price for my recklessness.

Poor Orion. He deserved a better owner than me. I just hope he finds a way to escape my apartment before it’s too late?—

“No. Let her go.”

They snap open.

Without a word, Vin drops me. I don’t land on my ass, though it’s close, and it takes me a second to remember how to breathe while the black spots that surrounded the edge of my vision finally fade.

“I can… I can go?”

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